Winch



July 23, 1946. G, H, ESCH l2,404,368 4 l wINcH` y Filed July 28', 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 23,-1946.

G. H. scH

wINcH Filed July 28, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .mm i mmf/l w QQ\ mwN mw U m w l mm. M Nm mm |.h...l|v|ud|. v.. L r Il.' ...U... n@ |||||||I .WQ Wm. wl/ Wm mm um. ,.l.. -HH P a. 1| om l JNVENToR. GLA DDEN H. ESCH A TTORNEYs G. H. EscH July 23, 1946.

WINCH `Filed July 28 1944 l s sheetssheet 3 wm. WMV

. INVENTOR. GLADDEN H. EscH A T TOP/VE Ys Patented July 23, 1946 UNITED STATE s PATENT OFFICE WINCH Gladden H.'Esch, DearbormMich. v Application July,2s,rr944, serial. Nolsfim'z 12 claims. (C1. 2424-3158)] c (Granted under the act of .March 3v, A 1883, asv

The 'invention described herein may be manu- ,-.factured and yused by or for the Government for provide a device for Ylevel Winding a cable upon a drum which is actuated hydraulically in timedrelation to the rotation of the drum andivvhich` includes v adjustable means for adapting the 'device-to ac--V commoclate cables of various diameters.

Another object of 4the invention is to ,provide a compact level windingattachmentfor Winches Whichis capable of accommodating a cable extending from the drumradially at any angle and which maintains the cable under .tension during the winding thereof upon the drum. f

Still another object of the present invention Y is to provide a reciprocable cable fairlead for level Winding a cable upon a drum which is automati' cally reversed at opposite ends of the drum and, in addition, which may bereversed at any position when the direction of rotation of the drum itself is reversed.`

Various mechanical devices have been proposed in the past for level Winding cables upon drums, but these have not been entirely satisfactory due to the accumulation of errors therein and the necessary complexity of the design. In addition, the bulky size of these devices has made their usev on portable Winches prohibitive. .These disadvantages are eliminated in the present device by providing a simple hydraulically actuated attachment which accurately guides the cable upon the drum in timed relation to the rotation of the drum. This is accomplished by means of a cable fairlead mounted upon a cylinder Which, in turn, is reciprocable relative to a ixed piston. Reciprocation of the cylinder is'elected by means 0fy ai: positive displacement hydraulic pump actuated by a cam surface upon one-flange of the drum of the winch. The cylinder and cable fairlead are carried by a frame pivotally mounted with of the cylinder and operable through afour-Wayfy amenaeanpni so,l 192s; 31010. G. 157,)

A hydraulic system.

fopposite endof; the cylinder.A

valve tov directl the-fluid from the vpump to the These and other objects of the invention will be made `more apparent as this description proceeds, particularly when considered in connection With-the accompanying drawings in which: v

Figure lis a front elevation of a Winch constructedin accordance with the present invention;-; r w

'an end elevation thereof, partly brokenaway;` y Y Figure 3 is a'plan view of aportion of the construction shown in Figure 1 Figure 4 is a crossesectiontakenon the plan `indicatedby the line 4- 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5;is a cross-section taken on ythe Vplane indica-ted by the line,575 yof Figure l2; j

Figure 6 is a cross-section taken on the plane indicated by the linegGfS of Figure 4;, and

Figure .7 isy a diagrammaticalyvievvA of the Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it vvill'be :noted that in Figures 1- and 2 I-have illustrateda conventional type Winch I0, comprisingl a drum` II having endanges- I2 and .I3 and adapted tol receive a` cable` I4. The drum I.I is

mounted upon arshaft I5 having the opposite endslthereof journalled` in bearings carried by the end bracket I6 and 'the' housing ,II which are mounted upon the base IB. Keyed-to the shaft I5 within the housing I1 is a Worm wheel I9meshing with avvorm 20, the latter being carriedy by kshaft 2|y which isdriven by any suitable means (not shown);y suchas from of avehicle motor. i

A pair of brackets 22 are pivotally mounted upon opposite ends of the shaft I5 and are each provided with a cylindrical bore 23 adapted to receive a sleeve 24 which, in turn, carriesthe cable guidingrneans to be described hereinafter.

Mounted upon the sleeve 24 are a pair of plates 25 provided Withaligned openings 26 engageable with the'outer periphery of the sleeve. It will be noted that the plates 725g are thus rotatably mounted on the sleeve 2li-and, invaddition, are slidable axially thereof.- The radially outer end s of the plates .25. are detachablyv connectedtogether by a plate 2='I. f f

The sleeve-.24 is 'provided 'with threeequally spaced longitudinally extending grooves 28, each ofl which is adapted to receive a radially inwardly extending key 294 formed upon .the-inner yperiphery a power take-01T vshaft of a split sleeve 30, journalled upon the sleeve 24. f

The sleeve 230 is formed in `three sections to facilitate assembly andy is provided Aat one end with a radially 'outwardly extending flange 3| and is threaded at the opposite end to receive a nut 32. A sheave 33 is rotatably mounted upon the sleeve 30 and yis Vretained thereon by means of the flange 3| and the nut 32. It will now be apparent that the sleeve 30 is adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally upon the sleeve 24 and carries the sheave 33 'which is rotatable thereon.

In order to guide the cable i4 and'to maintain a suitable tension thereon, I have provided a pairV of sheaves 35 and 35 journalled upon shafts 3l,

Which in turn are mounted between .the opposite bifurcated'rends 38 of a 4bracket*'39.;positionecly between the plates 25. The opposite ends ci the ing 'woundV upon `the lzirurn and lautomaticallyrre- '25 leases, the tension "when fthe cable lis bei-ng iremovedffrom the drum. "l'f'lflis feature facilitates v unwindin'g the -cable ltrom kthe drum, fparti'cularly f j when this is done by hand. Itwiu be noted ythat the slots '40 vand "4| are angularly Vdisposed and cooperate with the shafts 31 to permit vthi-enecessary movement .of 'the sheavesB and 135 unde 3 the action of the spring'42.. Y

As best seen in Figure 7J2, which fthe 'pivoted f brackets 22 areextended rearwardly yofthewinch l to `guide .the cable fthereen from that direction, 4 the cable I4 extends fromthedrum around `the l lowersidevof the slieave 33, th'ence between the sheavesr -35 Vand '33 and Aiinaily arounthe'upper portion vof the sheave V35 'andV outwardly therefrom 35. periphery 'of the flange l2 fis formed with a cam .4 now be apparent that the cylinder 5| is engageable with the cable guiding ymeans in such a manner that the latter is reciprocated therewith. The y opposite ends'of the cylinder 5| are'closed byr suitable heads through which extend the piston rods 43 and 44. A suitable packing 56 is provided within the heads 55 and Vis adapted to be compressed by the packing nuts 51 to prevent leakage between the cylinder and the Vpiston rods.

Reciprocation of the cylinder 5| and the cable guiding means carried thereby is effected by lmeans of a positive displacement pump 58, best v.shown in .Figures '2 and 5. The pump 58 com- YVprises a cylinder 59 having'lits lower end bifurv fca'ted YAand embracing the crossbar Si) of the base |8.. The crossbar 60 is provided with arslot 67|,

and the cylinder is fixed to the crossbar by means of a clamping bolt B2 extending through the b- "fur'cations of the cylinder and the slot in the crossbar. `Received within the upper portion of I fthe ycyhnd'er Q59 is a piston-'63 having a piston rod 'Y @54 slifda'bly connected lby means f of :a bolt-Sito a ,pair'of arms 66, each having one end pivoted'at BT to aY bracket 68 bolted tofthe*vertic'allyextending flange U9 ofthe base |8. yThe armsli are Drovided with slots 10 through which passes'bolt', permitting reciprocation Aof piston rod |54.V The opposite ends of the ya-rrr-lsfiembrace and'pivotal-v ly support a cam follower which engages the outer periphery of rthe flange v|'2 of the ldrum Flanges 1.2 are provided'on opposite sides of the cam follower "1| -to maintain `the follower in lateral Valignment with vlthe ange '|2.

It will be noted from Figure 2 that the Vouter surface 'I3Y which comprises a pre-determined number of radially outwardly `extending "arcuate for connection to the object being moved by the winch.

The novel arrangement lherein'above described 'maintains 4the cable under ptensionv, ythuspermit-Y 1 ting it -to 'be wound'evenly v-uponthe drum and, rvat the same time, the entirecable'guidingdevice.can

t be swung around the Vaxis :ofthe drum A| fandlthe "tension assembly supported 'by v"the plates 25 'can y fbe swung around-the sleeve v2'4 to adapt itself to fpul-l an object from any Vx'iinecti'on radially of the To Lpermit they above described table guiding i means jto 'be re'iprocated axially of 'the drum YIl to level wind 5the cable thereon, I have provided the novel Vmeans hereinafter described.

1 `With particular reference to Figure `I43 Vand 1'44 are `piston rods mounted cohaxially with-in `r'the 'sleeve "24 and having their inner VIad'acent.ends `secured to the piston 45. 'The outwardly extend-V fing Aends 'of `'the 'piston rods '43 and 44 extend lvthr'oueh lapertures '46*in "thebrackets '22 yand are "secured thereto lby 'means foi the locknuts 41. 'Each piston rod is lprovided'with a longitudinally yextendinlg'passage 48 thereinhaving one end communicating withfa tube 49'by 'means of the {inter-Y connecting-'elbow 50, and the opposite fend -exvtending through the wall ofthe -piston rod fclose `proximity to the piston 45.` The hired piston 45 fis positioned within'a-cylin'der 51 received 'within @the tsleeve 24 and `reciprocable relative to vthe ysleeve and =`to the piston V"45. YIn detail, the cylinvxder 5| has a'f-body portion `52 provided with radially-outwardly extending annular flanges 53 nand 54 adapted to embrace 2the opposite ends fof vthe keys '29 extending within the sleeve 2.4.. 1t will lands 'T4 with -depressions 15 between adjacent lands.r 'The coil :spring 16 is mounted in compres- 'sion between the cross 'arm 6U 'and arms 65 and maintains the camfollower 1| lin 'constant engagement with the cam 13. V'With this construction it will be seen that rotation ofthe drum f|| and 'itsrflan'ge |2 effects a reciprocation of the cam 'follower v'|| Y and vtl'irough the arms 65 a corresponding reciprocation of the piston 63 with- Vinthe cylinder 59. The number vofsvtrokes'rof the piston per revolution of the ydrum 1| is depend'- ent upon the number of the lands "14 provided on the vcam 'surface 13 of the drum ange 4and the parts are .proportioned so that the pumpV will deliver a pre-determined quantity ofuid for each revolution of the'drum Fluid is admitted into Vthe 'cylinder 59 through the Acheck valve 16" on the suction stroke of the piston and i's'forced from the e cylinder through the check valve on the downward'stroke of the piston, at which time the check valve vI6 automatically closes.

The outlet passage 18 of the cylinder is adapted by means to be 'more fully described hereinafter to communicate with the passage formed in one or the other of the piston rods 43 and 44 and with the yinterior of the cylinder V5| at the corresponding yside ofY the piston 45.V The construction is Such that the quantity of fluid'forced into the :cylinder`5'l from the -.pump 58 during one revolution of thefdrum is an amount suiicien't to move the cylinder 5| axially relative to the Xed piston 45 a istancejequal to the width of the cable |4. r`Move 'ment "ofthe cylinder 5| is continuous :du-ring rotation of the fdrumr and moves the' cable `-guiding means longitudinally at such a matethatfthe Icable |"41i's wound upon the-drum f|| 'lin-even Ela-vers.

Adjustment fcan read-ilyLbe fmadeto-'en'able the Y' I4 upon thefdrum in another layer. y Yversing meanscomprises a' pair of pilot valves axial movement of thezrcylinder to exactly correspond to the vvidtlry of the cable I4 'and'also to accommodate cables of various diametersi This .is accomplished by moving the pump 58 laterally .I and clamping the cylinder-59 in various positions by means of clampingv bolt-62 in the's'lot 6| in crossbar `|59. This adjustment varies the effective length of the lever arm 68 and changes thelength of the stroke of the piston 63, thus varying the `amount of fluid transmitted to the' cylinder`5| f during each revolution of the drum.

When the cylinder 5|, and the cable guiding r means carried thereby have traversed the length of the drum Il and the cable |4 has reached a position adjacent either to flange I2 or I3 there 'of, provision is vmade for reversing the direction of reciprocation ofY the cylinder 5I to permit the Y v cable guiding lmeanstov traverse the drum in the opposite direction and to thereby wind the cable This re- 19 mounted in the brackets 22 and having actuating rollers 80 extending through openings 8| in the sleeve 24 and positioned for engagement With v"heads 55 attached to the cylinder 5|v at opposite=` ends of the stroke of the latter. Actuation of one.

of the pilot valves 19 is operable to change the flovvv of uid from the pump 5 8 to the opposite endof the cylinder 5|,thereby reversing the direction of longitudinal movement of the cylinder.

v Reference is now made to the hydraulicV diagram shown in Figure 7, in which certain parts of the present device are illustrated diagrammatically vfor the purpose of showing the operation of thel hydraulic system. 82 is abalanced, fourway, piston-type pilot-operated control valve of "a conventional type." Valve 82v has ports 8,3'Iand 84 communicating by means ofthe tubes 85 and 86 respectively lto theends of the passages 48 provided in the piston rods 43 and 44., Outlet' Aportf'l of the valve 82 communicates through f tube 88 to th'e uidreservoir'89. Tube 98 supplies uid from the reservoir to the positive displacement pump 58, the outlet 1,8 of which communicates bymeans of a tube 9| to the inlet port' 92 ofthe valve. y A

Operation of the valve 82'to reverse `the flovv of lfluid to the cylinder 5| is effected by .the pilot valves 19 which are connectedl to oppositeends, s,

of the valve 82 by the tubes 93 and 94.1 The pilot valves are adapted to be exhaustedr to thereser' Voir 89 by means of the tubes 95 and 96 which Icommunicate With tube 'leading to they reservoir. The pilot valves 'I9 vare of conventional type and,'when Vactuated by engagement with th'e cylinder 5I at one end of the stroke of the I 82v through the port 83 and the tube 85 to the interior of'the cylinder at the left end thereof.V

At the same time, fluid from the right end of the cylinder 5I is exhausted through the tube 86 to the valve 82 and to the reservoir 89 through the tube 88. When the cylinder 5l reachesthe end of its leftWard stroke, the roller on the pilot valve 19 is engaged by the cylinder andthe pressure on the left-hand end of the valve 82 is relieved through the tube 93 and exhausted through the pilot valve and the tubes 95, 96 and 88 t0 the reservoir 89. This reverses the valve A 82 and uid'now. ilows from the pump 58 through the valve and out' through the port' 84 of the latter andthrough the tube .86 .to the interior of the right-'hand end of the *cylinder 5|. The interior of the left-hand end of the 'cylinder 5| vnow communicates through the tube and the valve 82 to the exhaust tube 88 and is returned to the reservoir. 89. When the cylinder 5i reaches th'e fend of lits right-hand stroke, the corresponding -pilot valve 191s engaged and actuated and relieves the pressure to the right-hand end of the valve' 82 through th'e tube 94 and the exhaust tubes 96 and 88. This'again reversesthe'valve 82 and, in thismanner, reciprocation .of the cylinder 5| is effected.

In the` event the direction of rotation of the 'Y drum is. reversed to' permit the cable tobe un- Wound from the drum after it has been wound th'ereon, or vice versa, there is provided a manually operated valve 91 connected by 'tubes 98 andv 99 :to the tubes 93 and 94 respectively; which in turn, communicate f With.l oppositevendsV of the valve 82. Actuation of the Valve v91 is'effective to relieve the pressure at either selected end of the valve* 82 and to exhaust vthe same through the exhaust tube to the .reservoir 89. This reverses the valve 82 and reverses the now of uid to the. cylinder 5| ina manner similar to the reversal eiected by the pilot valves .19 and permits the longitudinal movement of the .cylinder to be reversed at any time so that :the .cable guiding means willfollowthe Winding or' un- Winding of the cable in the proper manner.

'Although' I have shown and'described certain embodiments of my invention,V it Will be understood thatI do not wish to be. limited :to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes andmodificationsmay be made as do not depart lfrom the spirit 'and vscope of my invention as defined in the appended claims". i' What I claim is: 1 l. A device for level Winding a cable'on a drum comprising a member movable axially of the drum, cableY guiding means carried by said member, hydraulic moans arranged to movesaid member -axially of the drum, and a, cam on the flange of the drum arranged ,to actuate said hydraulic means in timed relation to the rotation ofthe drum. y

, 2. A device for level winding a cable on a drum comprising a member reoiprocable axially of the drum, cable guiding means carried by saidmemi ber, a positive displacement hydraulic pump,

means vfor .actuating said pump in .timed rela'- tion to the rotation of the drum to move said member axially of the drum to level Wind the cable thereon, and means for adjustingthe displacement of said pump to change the rate of movement of said member relative to the rate of rotation of said drum.

3. A device for level winding a cable on a drum comprising a member reciprocable axially of the drum, cable guiding means carriedby said member, `a, positive displacement hydraulic fpump, a cam for actuating said pump, said cam being movable in timed relation to the rotation of the drum to move said member axially of the drum to level Wind the cable thereon, and means for adjusting the displacement of said pump to change the rate of movement of said member relative to the rate of rotation of the drum.

4. A device for level winding a cable on a drum comprisinga cylinder element and a piston element, one of said elements being fixed and the other being reciprocable relative thereto, a cable .,iairlead carried yby .the s-recinrocable'element, '.a .positive .displacement hydraulic pump, `a' hydrau- .v lic.f.conduitconneoting said ,pump to the interiorY of said cylinder element,and a, lcam onl the ange Y:of the'drum.engageable with said lpump to actuate: the latter in timed relation :to the rotation of the drum Wh'ereby "fluid is for-ced yfrom the ,pump into the cylinder element to move said cable .fairlead to Alevel wind the cable on the drum.

`5. A device for'level lWinding a cable on a drum vcomprising a cylinder `element .and a piston ele`v ment, one of said elements being iixed and the other being reciprocable relative thereto, a cable Yfairlead carried by the reciprocable element, a

positive displacement hydraulic Ipump, hydraulic 'conduits providing communication between said pump and 'the opposite ends of the :cylinder ele yment, means for actuating `said 4pump intimed relation to th'e rotation of the drum, a valve forV directing fthe. flow of fluid Lfrom 'said` pump to; 'either endof the cylinder element,- and a pair -o'f pilot valves, said pilot valve/sbeing engaged by the recipro'cableV element at opposite ends :of its `.reciprocation',V connections :between .said ypilot 25 'valves and therst'fmentioned valve to reverse the flow offluid from the Ypump from one endgof `:the cylinder elementto the other end to lreverse the .movement of .the reciprocable element and the cable fairlead to wind'th'e cable on the drum` inf-a plurality of layers, and independently-operated means: for .reversing the reciprocationlof the reciprocable relement `at anyV point in its travel.

6. Adevice for level Winding acable on a drum betweensai'd ...pump and said cylinder element,

movable .in timed .relation to the rotation of the drum to move said reciprocable element and th'e cable fairlead .to level Wind the cable onV the drum, andV -n'ieans for adjusting the stroke of t '28 Y Yon the :flange of the .drum-,arcani .follower :carmied by said :lever and vengageable with said c-am,-;and resilient means acting on .said lever ..t'o hold said cam follower in :engagement with .said cam so that rotation of the drum'operates said .-pumptand moves said .cable :guiding vmeans axially of the' drum in 'timed relation to :the 'rotation -ofthe 9. A'devioe for level Win-ding acableen azlrum comprising a memberfmova'ble axially 1:01 the drum, cable guidingmeans carried bysaidmem- Vber,'hydraulically actuated Ineans arranged to' rmove said' member axially :of .the drum, aspump having .relatively .-reciprocable-piston and...radin--V der: elements, a Apivotally*mounted lever econ- .nected .tof-one -of said relativelyl reci-procable elements, means associated withjsaiddrum ioiwosci-llering, said lever vin timed relations@ :retenedor said drum, and meansfor adjusting thelocation of the-connectionbetvveenfthe lever and-'the one M of .the Yrelatively'.reciprocable velen'ients attached said pump to chan-ge the rate `of movement of the lcable'fairlead relativeVV to the rate 4of rota- L:

tion of the drum. l Y

Y 7. A device for level Winding a cable on a drum 5.0.

comprising a. member movable axially vof the drum, cable guiding means carried by said Amember, hydraulically actuated meansarianged to move said member axially ofthe drum, Aa y pump having relatively reciprooable vpiston and cylinder elements, a ca-m'follower associated with one of .saidrelatively reciprocable elements, and a cam .on Athe flange of said drum engageable with saidfcam follower to actuate said `pump and move said cable guiding means Iin timed relation to the rotation ofthe drum.

8. A device for level Winding a cable on a drum l comprising a member movable axially of the drum, Jcableguiding means carriedby said member, hydraulically actuated means arranged to move said member axially of the drum, a pump 'having relatively reciprocable piston and cylinder thereto to varysthe stroke of the rate of. movement of the-...cable guiding means the pum'nt AChange relative .to the rate of rotationgof the-drum, ,Y

Vl0..A device for level Winding za' cable-*ona drum .comprising yal sleeve .mounted AWith its axis parallel to V-the .axis of the drum and having a longitudinal slot therein, a cylinder mounted 4for V reciprocation yWithin said sleeve, `a ,piston Within 30,

saidV cylinder, said `piston being xed relative lto said sleeve, .hydraulic means torfrec-iprocatingsaid cylinder, cable vguiding means'- mounted lon-.said sleeve forvaxial movement V.relative thereto, and

' means extending .through the sloth; saidfsleeve and connectingsaid cylinder .and s'aid-cableguid-y .ingmeans .so that reciprocationof said-cylinder eiectsa corresponding reciprocation-ofsaid.cable Y guiding means.

l1. A device/for level windingfavcable `bn .la drum comp-risingasleeve mounted witliitsfaxis Yparallel to the axisfof the drum, cooperating ..cyl-

y inder and -piston elements/.concentrically mounted Within :said sleeve,Y one .of said elements A*being Y Y 'iiXed :relative to said` .sleeve andthe other1 .being .vreciprocable .relative thereto, aframe rotatably ,and slidably mounted on said.sleeve,;cable-guidf g ingmeans carried by said fram-e, rmeansconnect- Y. ingsaid fratrie .to said reciprocable .element,and

. hydr'aulicvmeans for actuating .said -reciprocable Y 'el'emen'ts, a pivotally mounted lever connected to 1 one of said relatively reciprocable elements, a cam element fto move said frarrieand cable guiding `means axial of said sleeve.V g l Y '12, .Ai device for level winding .a .cable on a drum comprisinga sleeve mounted with .its axis parallel to the axis iof .the .drum and'V having 4a ,plurality of circumferentiallyspaced longitudinal slots therein, a cylinder .mounted for reciprocati'on within said sleeve, a .piston Within .said cylinder, said piston being 'xed relative to said sleeve, hydraulic means for reciprocating said cylinder, a frame rotatably and -slidably mounted on said sleeve, sheaves carried 'by said frame var- .K ranged to guide the cable, and connecting means extending through said slots and engaging said cylinder and said frame so that reciprocation of said cylinder effects a corresponding reciprocation of said cable 'guidingm'eans y"GLADD'EN H. EscH. 

